facilitate and enhance the provision of effective …

1 IMPORTANCE OF RECORD KEEPING IN SCHOOLS BY TAJUDEEN OLANREWAJU IBRAHEEM DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION; UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN. Introduction School records are books, documents, diskettes and files in which are embodied information on what goes on in school ( social, academic and non academic activities, important events etc), the school plant as well as other relevant information focusing on the growth and development of the school (Olagboye, 2004). Meanwhile, Durosaro (2002) explained that school records are official transcript or copies of proceedings of actions, events other matters kept by the school manager, school records could be viewed as authentic register or instruments or documents of official accounts of transaction or occurrence which are preserved in the school s office.

2 Therefore, the Education Law in virtually all states of the federation requires that every school must keep certain specified records. For example, section 22 (1) of the Education (General) Regulation 1964 of the Education Law, 1964 of Northern Nigeria stipulates that every institution, other than a corresponding college or training college shall keep records and books. Those that are statutorily specified by law are referred to as a statutory records while, those necessary are known as non-statutory records. However, Olagboye (2004) citing Adepoju (1998) & Ojelade (1998) listed some general reasons or importance of keeping school records which includes the fact that school records tells the history of the school and are useful historical sources.

3 I. tells the history of the school and are useful historical sources. ii. facilitate continuity in the administration of a school iii. facilitate and enhance the provision of effective guidance and counseling services for pupils in the social, academic career domains. iv. provide information needed on ex-students by higher and other related institutions and employers of labour for admission or placement. v. facilitate the supply of information to parents and guardians for the effective monitoring of the progress of their children/wards in schooling or performance vi.

4 Provide data needed for planning and decision making by school heads, ministries of education and related educational authorities vii. provide a basis for the objective assessment of the state of teaching and learning in a school, including staff and student performance by supervisors and inspectors. viii. provide information for the school community, the general public employers as well as educational and social science researchers for the advancement of knowledge ix. enable school heads to collate information on pupils and staff for decision making by higher authorities, the law courts security agencies and other related government agencies when occasion demands x.

5 Provide a mechanism such as the school timetable for the productive management of time and coordination of school work and activities. xi. serve as data bank on which both the school head and staff and even students can draw on. Yahaya (2007), Olagboye (2004), Durosaro, (2002) & Akubue, (1991), also listed some specific importance which peculiar to each school records as; 1. Admission and withdrawal Register: This is a permanent record book into which is entered information regarding the entry and exit, including the details of the education and progress of each pupils that ever passes through the school; The importance includes i.

6 Serves as a historical document or reference with detailed records of every child who was admitted into the school ii. The admission register is a reference for tracing the entry progress and exit of any student admitted into the school iii. It is useful in supplying information on the personal and family background of student. iv. It becomes a vital document for the settlement of legal controversies and claims. v. Yielding reliable data which may be needed for the planning and administration of the educational system. vi. Showing student(s) who withdraw from the school vii.

7 Promoting accountability as well as enhance planning. 2. Attendance Register An attendance register is a book in which the presence or absence of students in a school is recorded on a daily basis. It is a statutory record that must be kept by every school. This record is kept on individual class basis. The class teacher is the custodian of this record. Its importance includes: i. Providing necessary data that may be requested from time to time either by researchers, planners or ministry officials ii. Information from it could assist considerably in determining the amount of grant to be given to a particular school.

8 Iii. It could be used to identify a child s interest and problems and to take administrative decisions. iv. It is also helpful in identifying sick students, truants, absentees and students who attend school regularly. 3. The log Book The log book is a historical record of events that have significant effects on the schools activities. Its importance are as follows; i. It records detailed happenings, during the visit of dignities whose signatures appear in the school visitors book ii. It gives background information to a new manager. iii. It amplifies the local history of a village or town, especially the role of the school in such development.

9 Iv. It reveal important events or occurrences in the life of the school new building, rainstorm, collapsed building, motor vehicles, accidents in school, expulsion or fire disaster. 4. The Visitors book The book is meant for recording the visit of important personalities, including officials from the ministries of education or other related government agencies or any other school related visitors. Importance includes: i. It provides a record of the interest shown by the community in the school ii. It could serves as a means of getting the contact addresses of very important people who have shown interest in the school.

10 5. Staff and Students personal files It is necessary that the school should have as much information on every one of teachers and students as possible without violating their privacy. Importance includes; i. it provides current and first hand information on the staffing as well as studentary situation. ii. It helps in checking ghost workers and other financial abuse in schools. iii. It makes it easy to locate a teacher s or student s relatives during emergency. 6. Corporal punishment book The book contains the names of pupils who create disciplinary problems in school and the nature of punishment awarded mostly canning, flogging, whipping and hard knocks.